Lohar, The Stingy Dwarf

Just like that, after hunting some golems, Rain finally found the meteor ore.

Now I have got the ore, I should leave the silver mine and find someone to make a good sword from it.

However, like an alchemist, Rain didn't know any Forger either.

In the game, there were many forgers around the Protagonist. Even though they couldn't be compared to this stingy dwarf that made the 'legendary sword' but they were still good in the general sense.

Among them, the most remarkable was that alchemist heroine's best friend.

She was the best Forger in the academy and just like that alchemist, Rain doesn't like her either.

Because just like her friend, she was annoying.

She was a freaking muscle-head, who gets angry and beat the shit out of you if she didn't like you.

'In the game, the main character needs to spar with her many times to become friends. If you succesfully build rapport with her, she will also make different types of tools for you.

However she's a heroine too, so she can be tough to befriend. I don't want to meet her.'

Rain frowned while thinking.

After some time, he made a troubled expression.

'Sigh, I will just go to that stingy dwarf.'

Rain sighed and started walking out of the mine.

***

As Rain emerged from the silver mine, he noticed a commotion at the entrance. The group of adventurers he had overheard earlier was now surrounded by guards, their expressions a mix of confusion and fear.

"What's going on here?" Rain asked one of the guards.

"These individuals were caught doing terrorist activities and causing a disturbance," the guard replied. "They're being taken into custody for questioning."

Rain couldn't help but smirk. It seemed karma had caught up with them sooner than he expected. As the adventurers were escorted away, Rain couldn't resist a parting shot.

"Looks like spreading rumors isn't such a bright idea after all," he said, loud enough for them to hear.

Doing terrorist activities? Rain was pretty sure those people won't even know any terrorist. Some noble people would have reported them. And who could be more noble than Rain?

'Ah.. It's so good to have connections.' 

In this world, hunting was considered one of the most important professions.

Thus, around every hunting field, there were numerous facilities available for hunters and other visitors, including markets, restaurants, inns, public baths, and entertainment areas.

Together, they formed a mini city. These mini cities are quite lucrative business. So how could Holmes family won't have a share of pie? There were many members of Holmes family stationed near these kind of cities. 

Except main line no one can live in mansion. Those people from branch line either chose to live near mansion or get scattered at different places. Not everyone has talent to return to main line anyway. Moreover, the treatment of branch line isn't quite bad. 

It's quite easy to collect information and handle small chores with these people. With just one call, it was enough to deal with those weirdos. For rain, they weren't worth wasting time. 

As Rain walked through the market, he saw all types of people gathered.

There were hunters, merchants, adventurers, and even regular townsfolk. Despite their differences, they all shared a common interest in the hunting profession.

However, Rain didn't stop anywhere. He continued on his way toward the big market.

Upon arrival, he surveyed the many shops but didn't stop at any of them.

Instead, he made his way to the last alleyway, where there were fewer people and most of the shops looked old and rundown.

Among them stood a particularly dilapidated shop, which looked almost abandoned.

However, Rain didn't hesitate and entered the shop.

As he entered, he was greeted by the sight of many rusted weapons hanging on the walls and lying on the shelves.

It seemed as though this shop had not seen any customers in quite some time.

But what caught Rain's attention the most was the sight of a beer-drinking dwarf sitting in the corner.

'Yeah, he is that dwarf,' Rain thought to himself.

***

Meet Lohar, the legendary wandering stingy dwarf.

Lohar was a stout and sturdy dwarf, standing about four feet tall. His stocky, muscular body suggested a lifetime of physical labor as a forger.

The muscles in Lohar's forearms were well-developed, likely a result of his years working as a forger.

His rough, calloused hands were evidence of the hard work he had put in over the years.

Broad shoulders and thick, powerful arms with visible veins indicated his strength.

Lohar's face was weathered and rough, with a thick, unkempt beard and mustache.

His hair was a deep auburn with a few strands of gray interspersed.

His eyes were sharp and observant, grey in color.

Currently, Lohar appeared bored or disinterested, as if he had seen it all and was unimpressed, with a jug of beer in hand taking occasional sips.

***

Rain couldn't understand why, even though Lohar was a legendary forger, he ran a rundown shop in a remote alley.

It reminded him of the clichés he had read in his previous life.

Maybe the author was a fan of clichés.

The protagonist wouldn't have been able to find this shop if he didn't have heaven's luck.

Rain remembered the scene in the game where the protagonist met Lohar. One time, he was just helping to catch a thief. After chasing the thief all around, he caught him.

However, while he was doing that, he saw Lohar's shop and thought to buy a new weapon. That's how he met the dwarf.

While all that was visible in the shop were rusted weapons, it wasn't because Lohar was some moron or amateur.

No, he was little stingy and never showed his valuable items to others.

Rain was truly wondering, 'I don't know sometimes whether he is a goblin or a dwarf.'  To see his valuable items, one must present something of equal value.

Players affectionately dubbed Lohar the Legendary Wandering Stingy Dwarf due to his single appearance in the plot.

He only appeared in that storyline scene once. Although players tried to find quests regarding him but they never got a single one. 

***

"Good day, sir." After waiting for some time, Rain politely called out to the blacksmith.

"What do you want?" Lohar replied rudely, catching Rain off guard.

"I'm in need of a custom-made weapon. Can you please make one for me?" Despite wanting to speak informally, Rain still maintained his polite tone.

Lohar scanned Rain from top to bottom before dismissing him with a curt response. "Go home, youngster. Business is closed for today."

Lohar had no interest in making cheap weapons for inexperienced fighters.

In his opinion, Rain was just a random weakling who had only recently started training with swords.

Lohar was lazy, he had decided to open his shop in the market anyway.

There was no particular reason why he had chosen this location, other than the fact that he wanted to open a shop. 

He didn't care about other particularn details. 

Rain sighed as he thought to himself, 'I forgot about the straightforwardness of the Dwarfs.'

But, will he give up? 

NO.

"Please, sir. It's really important for me." Rain said. 

Lohar frowned, not impressed by Rain's persistence. "What kind of weapon are you looking for?"

Rain smiled. "I was hoping for a weapon made from this unknown, shining ore I found." He took out the meteor ore from his space ring and showed it to Lohar.

As Lohar looked at the ore, there was a spark in his eyes for a moment. However, he controlled his expressions. 

"That ore is just a normal ore. You won't even able to make good sword from it. Buy a good sword from my storage, I will take that ore and some money as a payment." Lohar said in grumpy tone, like he had no choice. 

"Is that so?" Rain smirked at Lohar's words. He raised his one eyebrow and looked at Lohar while grinding, "Do you think I believe it?" 

"How would I know about that? I can't read minds." Lohar chugged the jug of beer. 

"Oh, but I think I can read expression of people, and your expression is telling me this is ore isn't that much useless." Raid said.

'Till how much you will put up the act, stingy dwarf?' Rain thought. 

"Okay, you win. I don't have time to waste on play of words and wits. I rather drink beer or work." Lohar grumbled, as he streched his tiny hands. "Show me that ore." 

Rain put the ore in Lohar's hand.

Lohar inspected the ore with great interest, a glint in his eyes. "As I guessed, it's meteor ore. You have great luck, brat. Where did you find this?"

"I found it lying on the road," replied Rain. 

Lohar looked at Rain with eyes saying, "Who are you trying to fool?"

"Brat. Your luck is good, only I would be able to make a good weapon from this." Lohar smirked.

"Follow me. I will also give you some good wine." Lohar gestured for Rain to follow him, hearing this Rain was quite happy.

'Yes. Mission successful.'

Lohar opened the back door of the smithy and took Rain there.

***

Lohar's smithy was a bustling workshop, with the hiss of hot metal filling the air.

The building itself was made of rough-hewn stone and brick, with a large chimney rising from the roof to vent the smoke and heat from the forges within.

The entrance was a heavy wooden door, with a small window set into it that allowed a glimpse of the fiery orange glow emanating from within.

Inside, the space was divided into two main areas.

The first was a large forge room, dominated by three roaring furnaces that blazed with intense heat.

Bellows stood beside each one, operated by assistant robots who tirelessly pumped air into the flames, keeping them hot enough to melt metal.

Around the room, a variety of tools hung from pegs on the walls, including hammers, tongs, chisels, and anvils.

Beyond the forge room lay the main work area, where Lohar did his crafting.

Here, long tables were strewn with scraps of metal and half-finished weapons, while shelves along the walls held stacks of raw materials, including ingots of iron, steel, and other alloys.

Despite the heat and noise, the atmosphere in the smithy was one of focused concentration.

"Now, show me your weapon style so I can make a weapon that suits your fighting style," Lohar told Rain upon entering the smithy.

After Rain performed some basic swordsmanship moves and swung his sword, Lohar said, "Hmm, your Swordsmanship mastery is quite low. I will make a weapon that suits your body. After you become proficient in Swordsmanship, upgrade your weapon."

He then brought a cup of wine from his collection and gave it to Rain. "Drink the wine, and I will make your weapon," Lohar slightly smirked before leaving Rain alone.

Lohar, being a dwarf, had an impressive collection of wine in his smithy.

The shelves lining the walls were stacked high with bottles and barrels of all shapes and sizes, each containing a different vintage or blend.

The wine Lohar gave to Rain was one of the most prized wines in his collection, a [100-year-old blueberry wine] that was said to have powerful effects on those who drank it.

As Rain sat down at one of the rough-hewn tables, he stared at the cup of blueberry wine.

The liquid was a deep shade of purple, almost black, and had a rich, fruity aroma. Its effects included rapid mana increase in the lower stages.

-In the game, the protagonist didn't get any weapon from Lohar.

-Lohar gave him only one cup of wine for showing a good artifact to him, just the protagonist's luck.

However, Rain knew that he could get the maximum benefit from it.

Rain drank the whole cup of wine in one gulp. 

After drinking the wine, Rain immediately felt a cool sensation in his throat and a rush of energy coursing through his veins.

The wine seemed to increase his mana rapidly, giving him a burst of power that he had never experienced before. He felt like he was drunk.

That was the first time Rain drank wine after getting his past life memories.

Still, Rain started to practice mana control to maximize benefits, and soon he fell asleep.

While Rain was asleep, Lohar kept working.

He was too excited to work on meteor ore, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him. His concentration was at its peak.

He sat beside the furnace, and the fire in the forge burned hot into the night, casting flickering shadows across the walls of the smithy.